winter's promise to me
by ForeverSummerSnows
Summary: Summary: what if Karin wasn't a flirt? What if she was directly affected by Kyuubi's attack on Konoha? What if she was shy or aggressive instead of a Sasuke minion-I mean fangirl?
1. Chapter 1

Winter's promise to me… by ForeverSummerSnows

Summary: what if Karin wasn't a flirt? What if she was directly affected by Kyuubi's attack on Konoha? What if she was shy or aggressive instead of a Sasuke minion-I mean fangirl?

**A/U: hi! This is my first fan fiction on the internet. I trained myself for years with paper and pen till the elders (those idiots/my friends who call themselves critics) approved that I was ready for the internet. They didn't approve actually. I just stopped listening to them. =) **

**This is centered on Karin. Don't run away. Read chapter one and two first. I promise the only time Karin tries to rape Sasuke is as an infant.**

'Oi Kushina! Hurry up unless we'll never reach Lady Mito!' Kikyo ran ahead of the younger Uzumaki. However, Kushina's stamina, a lot of patience and leg cramps was all that was needed to take down her cousin.

'Haha!' Kushina laughed. She saw a certain blonde up ahead in slacks and blushed. She retired to jumping to avoid contact with him. Kikyo was a bit confused at first, but then she saw the reason and smirked.

'I see…'

…

A few minutes after, Kikyo threatened to report Kushina for attempted murder. Only then was she spared of the brutal savage assault of the red habereno pepper. Minato twitched. Apparently, a relative of Kushina (Kikyo) used him as bait to lure out Kushina by flirting. The older girl's plan backfired. He laughed nervously.

'What are you cackling about?!' Kushina roared and smacked the Namikaze's head.

…

Kikyo and Kushina arrived the hokage's quarters, to see Uzumaki-Senju Mito. The shinobi who opened the door for them was nearly knocked over by the speed at which they used to meet their grandmother.

'Kushina. Kikyo. Just the girls I wanted to see.' Mito said.

'Mito-sama.' They bowed.

'You called for us.' Kikyo said.

'Yes… come, Kushina.' The jinchuriki walked to her predecessor and knelt. The old lady smiled. 'Hm… a hero for a son?' Kushina raised a brow. 'Hmm… just as foul mouthed and as mischievous and hard headedly ambitious as you are.'

'What son?' Kushina raised a brow.

'Yours.'

Kushina squealed.

'Who's the daddy?!'

'That's classified.'

'Datebayo…' she muttered. Kikyo laughed.

'The more level headed child with rational judgment, come.' Kikyo knelt by her cousin. 'Hmm… a private flirt, a protégé, innocent minded and level minded, powerful, gifted. It's gonna be a girl.'

'Tell me it's not an Uchiha who's the daddy.' Kikyo breathed. She was in a relationship with Fugaku Uchiha and she had been hoping the relationship would end. The last thing she wanted to hear was that that antisocial emo diva was her soul mate. Besides, if Mikoto heard that Fugaku would father her child that would be the end of her existence.

'He's not.'

'Thank goodness.' She sighed in relief.

'Your children are tied by faith to save the world of shinobi along with 2 other children.'

Kushina and Kikyo had weirdo looks on their faces.

…

Kikyo crooned her daughter softly and she ran into Mikoto, who had baby Sasuke in her arms. Kushina was escorted by two guards and lady Mito. She was due for birth any moment from now.

'Eek! Lady Mito! Hold it datebayo!' she snapped, her emotion thingy pregnancy stuff taking the better part of her. 'Can I see my second cousin?' she cooed. Mikoto smiled.

'I'll love to see her too.' She said. Kikyo held out her daughter.

'Her name is Karin. Ka-ween… say hello to your god mommy and you're crazy cousin.' She cooed.

'Eep! Hello cute widdle Ka-ween, I'm cousin Kushina! Don't grow up to be boring like your mommy okay?' the Infant shrieked with laughter and yanked her mom's hair.

Mikoto rolled her eyes good naturedly.

'Let's see the newest Uchiha in the village!' Kushina faced Sasuke. 'So cute… he's looks like Izuna.'

'His name is Sasuke.'

'Named after that hero that I can't remember from history class back in the academy.' Kikyo mused. 'Hello Sasuke! Would you like to marry my widdle baby?' she shuddered. 'If you want to do that you better not be like your duckass dad.' Karin laughed again and reached for Sasuke, who was asleep. Her younger cousin laughed.

'Yeah. My baby could be his best man, datebayo!' Kushina yelled in excitement. 'This girl is going to be a fangirl of this Uchiha, hands down. See her fight for the boy!'

'Not on my watch. I won't raise my child to be a boy minion.' Kikyo said. 'And your kid better not be as pervy as that weirdo sensei of yours.' Kushina sweat dropped at the mention of Jiraiya. 'If not he is not coming near my daughter!'

'What's his name?' Mikoto asked. 'The unborn baby.'

'She's crazy. She and Minato named him fish cakes!' Kikyo shook her head. 'if he grows up to be a ramen binger like he's parents I won't be at least shocked!'

'Naruto huh? Cute.' Was Mikoto's comment. 'Sasuke-kun! You and Naruto are going to be best friends with a lotta good natured arguing!'

'Hey guys…' Kushina said suddenly, overcome by shyness. 'I have a question.' They leaned in so only the two new mothers could hear. 'When giving birth does it really…' she twitched. '…hurt?'

Kikyo and Mikoto burst out laughing.

'So you're scared of something huh? About time!' Mikoto giggled.

'The habenaro pepper's secret fear: the pains of child birth! Gasp!' Kikyo roared in laughter.

Lady Mito twitched at the behavior of her grand kids.

'We must go now!' she pulled Kushina away. Kikyo hugged her cousin.

'I love you, ya lil' wacko.' She mumbled.

'I love you too nee-chan.' Kushina sighed happily. Mito dragged her away.

'Bye guys!' the younger Uzumaki called out to her cousin and friend who waved back.

…

Kikyo sat enjoying her jasmine tea. Her troublesome daughter had finally gone to sleep. Even though she was 10 months, she was a hella trouble. Kyoka, her husband was on ANBU parole. So she had the whole night to herself.

She suddenly jerked up. She found herself in a vision where a ball of chakra chains, which she identified as Kushina's, began to dwindle. The Uzumaki had three special abilities that came with their characteristics: strength, Mind's Eye of the Kagura (chakra sensory), foretelling the future or a very powerful influence over emotions. Kikyo's ability being future foretelling, she knew immediately that the vision meant Kushina's life would be in danger. At that moment she had another vision of Kyuubi, of the yondaime and of Kyoka. Then she winced in pain. She had to get someone, fast.

'Kyoka!'

Her redheaded husband turned and frowned.

'Kikyo! You can't be out here! Go back!'

'Kyuubi… he's coming.' Kikyo lost her consciousness.

'KIKYO!' he caught her in his arms. He could go inform the hokage of her vision and leave her exposed to attack, or he could take Karin and Kikyo somewhere safe.

…

The yondaime and ANBU second in command appeared in the same nursery. Naruto was in one crib, Karin in another. The two ninjas had their wives in their arms and they gave themselves a brief nod of acknowledgement, the two in perfect synchrony. They both had a village to protect, a wife in danger, and a child to keep safe.

'kyoka, you wont… you wont make it…' tears streamed down kikyo's face. 'don't go. Karin needs you. I need you… you wont make it Kyoka. Don't go…'

'what matters is that you will.' He put her by his daughter. 'you and our daughter.'

'why?' was all Kushina could whispher to the yondaime as he put her by Naruto.

'because we're ninjas. I'll be making the sacrifice though. So you just stay here. With Naruto.'

Kikyo was shaking with each sob, aware of who would die, and who wouldn't. Kyoka's fist curled into a ball, cursing himself for his inability to use the chakra chains. Now that he needed it so badly…. Why this tragedy had to be on the day of kikyo's terminal disease resurfacing, a period she needed rest, was beyond him.

The yondaime on the other hand damned heaven and hell for letting a masked psychopath endanger his family. Kyoka put on his mask and armored gear, while Minato put on his hokage coat with the title: "yondaime" on it, and both disappeared.

….

Just as Kikyo saw it in her vision, Kyoka died using up every last chakra to activate the chakra chains, using it to absorb the huge chakra ball kyuubi released on the building where Karin lodged. Immediately that happened, Kikyo released an even more powerful set of chakra chains to tie down the demon that was far off, apparently on a smaller radius, Kushina had done the same so that it could be sealed in Naruto. Kushina and Minato sacrificed themselves for their son, just as she saw it in her vision.

The funeral was brief, and after a huge boquet of white roses for her cousin, grandmother, husband and inlaw, Kikyo spent the rest of the day in the Uchiha main house where she and Mikoto cried over the loss, while the infants Sasuke, Karin and Naruto were asleep.

…

'Hiruzen Sarutobi, I don't give a damn if the sage of six path himself is an enemy of the yondaime, I want to adopt Kushina's son!' Kikyo screamed at the third hokage who had un-retired himself, after Minato's death, back to the pains of hokage and paper work.

'kikyo. You're the seer. You know the danger you and your child are already in by just being direct in-laws to Minato. Tell me what you think will happen if enemies find out you have your in-law's son in your custody.'

'I can protect my cousin and my daughter! You're right. I'm the seer, and the pain I see Naruto go through if no one takes him in is unbearable. The son of a hero will be rejected by the people his father saved! That's cruelty Sarutobi! You know it!'

'What do you see if you take him in?'

'Nothing.'

'Exactly. Because the 3 of you will be dead and there's no future for the dead.'

Silence.

'Cant Jiraiya-sama takes him in?'

'Worse. If Naruto isn't killed off by Jiraiya enemies, he'll grow up to be worse than him.' Sarutobi pointed out.

'I can't just leave Kushina's son helpless. I promised her. In the nursery, I promised her that Naruto would grow to know the love of a family.'

Sarutobi sighed.

'One and a half years. It's not safe for you to be here. Go to a remote island. Change your last name. You have one and a half years to wean Naruto and make sure he's healthy. As soon as the one and a half years expire, I will send Kakashi to get him. If I remember correctly, Uzushiogakure has been destroyed, sadly, therefore you can't return to the clan.'

'I understand.' Kikyo said with a stoned face.

'Good. Again, I'm deeply sorry about your losses. Leave tonight.'

Kikyo thanked hm and slammed the door against him. She saw Itachi Uchiha walk by. The vision she had about him made her dizzy.

Should she tell Mikoto…?

No…. the deed he would do was a sacrifice for the greater good… so she kept it to herself.

'You're a good kid Itachi.' She called after her. The six year old raised brows at his brother's godmother, then bowed.

'Thank you Kikyo-sama,' he said and ran off. Many years later he'd understand why she said so, and he'd thank her again.

**A/U: how did I do? I hope I didn't let y'all down. Now, the reason I picked Karin as my center of the universe of this book. Drum roll please!**

**In every single fan fiction I've read, Karin is an obsessive girl friend of Sasuke or a not-appreciative girl friend of**** Suigetsu****. No one seems to be willing to give her another personality. So I took it upon myself as a challenge to do so. I'm aware it will be difficult but I will try. The same taunting Kushina went through as a kid is what befalls her. What she becomes is in your hands.**

**Oh! how do you put up a new chapter? Help!**

**Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**A/N: My updates will not be frequent. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the days I'll most likely post. Soon school will start and I intend to make this book last till then, so maybe three chapters a day? Motivate me people, I'm mentally lazy. If I'm motivated, I will deliver. I assure you.**

**to chrome and bankaii777 thank you!**

**dunno how to reply reviews and no.**

**she's not on team seven. it's a suprise.**

**moo-hahaha!**

**On with the story…**

One year old Karin Kagura celebrated her first birthday. Kikyo was so happy. The shade of her hair was the same as Kushina's, her hair down to her shoulders. She took her and Naruto out for a treat to an eatery. As Kikyo suspected, Naruto ate ramen more than milk formula or breast milk, which made her laugh. Naruto looked like the spitting image of his dad, removing the whiskers. 10 months later, they were at the eatery again. Karin made sure her mom's wallet was empty, picking the most expensive stuff on the menu. Naruto just ate ramen. Kikyo had threatened him with a wet noodle to get him to eat his vegetables. He might look like Minato, but he sure was has hard headed as his mother.

Kikyo kept record of everything they did. While Karin turned out to be the protégé lady as Mito said she would be, Naruto was just as-if not worse-stubborn and stamina blessed as Kushina. But she grew to love him and him her. Karin saw him as her playmate and brother and stuck up for him in parks where bullies tried to hassle them for candy. His determination to do stuff reminded Kikyo of Kyoka. He was like having a little piece of Kyoka, Minato and Kushina back. But the day would come when he'd become Uzumaki and they would remain Kagura. That depressed her. So when Kakashi showed up for the blonde, the jounin lost it. The insightful Karin sensed what was happening and held on to Kakashi's leg as he carried Naruto. Kikyo carried her and told her to wave at Naruto. She did. Kikyo watched him and from her sleeve sprouted a chakra chain holding Kakashi's foot back.

'Be a good sensei, and do that because of your sensei.' She said.

Kakashi nodded.

'Understood.'

….

Kikyo held her head.

War?

She glanced at her four year old daughter playing in the snow.

'Winter holds a promise for you Karin.' Kikyo smiled at her. She had to go warn the head of the village about the war. 'I'll be back, okay? Be good.' She kissed her forehead.

'I love you mom.' The redhead hugged her mother.

'I love you too baby.'

Kikyo left. The war she saw was in 3 days. She miscalculated. It was in three hours.

Karin looked around curiously. Being homeschooled as well as intelligent, Karin was aware of her heritage and her individual ability of mind's eye. She knew its uses well enough to trust it. She could feel them coming. There was time to escape…

She out into the village.

'They want to destroy the village! People are coming! Lotsa of 'em! They wanna burn 'em up!' the usually shy redheaded child that neighborhood kids pissed off were yelling frantically running and yelling.

'Tomato head!' a fat boy yelled. 'Why are you using our air to tell lies!?'

Karin sensed them coming. Her mother's chakra network began to fade. She started to cry and she ran away, farther and farther to the mountains and sulked there. They had reached the village. Her mother's chakra network stood out and the radius the chakra chains covered by it. Then, the network abruptly ended abruptly. Her mother was gone and little Karin was all alone. She sensed the fire that consumed the village and started crying again.

'Why are you crying?' the girl looked and saw a ninja of the sound behind her. He was dead-pale and had yellow eyes, but that was it. His chakra had a very mysterious aura to it. Karin pointed to the fire as it swallowed up her home town.

'How did you survive?'

'I sensed lotsa people coming here. They were so angry…' she started to cry. The ninja studied her for a while.

'Is mommy alive?'

'If she was I wouldn't be here.' The girl sobbed.

_Of course,_ the ninja scowled for not figuring out what a four year old had. _Wonderful. She makes people look stupid. If she really is the daughter of Kyoka and Kikyo Uzumaki… I'll take her with me and study her before I give her the cursemark…_

'Is your mommy Uzumaki Kikyo?' he asked. Karin studied him. He seemed harmless enough, but her mom warned her to never let anyone know they were Uzumakis, no matter what happened. She shook her head.

_What a liar. _The ninja rolled his eyes. _But at four she already knows what to keep her mouth shut about. She's going to probably be even better than Anko. I'd posses both Kagura's mind eye and the chakra chain blood limit_.

'Why don't you come with me? I promise you'll be a strong kunoichi. And you'll never be lost again.' The ninja smiled at her.

The innocent redhead looked up and smiled at him.

Little did she know that she had signed her own death contract.

**A/N: and… we're… clear! Pretty short eh? Forgive me on that. The next chapter and the rest of the book is strictly Karin's POV. So don't bother asking me to let other's people's POV be voiced. Chapter 1 and 2 is like a genesis to Karin's beginning since no Naruto site could give me a decent background on her life and family before Orochimaru took her in. I hope you like it. Feel free to give me advice and please don't flame me. I might be hell's angel, but I am really sensitive to flames and I can flare up to be one. (Get it? Flare up? Flames? Eh, eh... never mind :|. Sigh.) **

**Review and on with the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

**A/N: am on a roll! I love my life y'know… do I have one? Karin is going to be both shy and violent! Yeah! I'm also going to throw in my personal theories since I technically write a manga. This includes: The soul of Kagura! Inner lecherousness! The re-incarnation of habenaro pepper!**

**Lame-o. *shrug* I tried.**

**And now for the moment we've all been waiting for!**

**Jokes of lameness!**

**…**

**That was the joke moron.**

**On with the story…**

I can't stop crying?

Why? Why can't I stop? I hate crying, but I am crying.

Is this what's it's like to cry? I never really cried since mom died.

People here hated me… or at least the kids.

But that wasn't why I was crying. No, it was worse… much worse…

…

'When you get to the border, what are you supposed to tell the watch guards?' sensei asked me with stern eyes. He seemed excited; I felt his chakra going haywire, which scared me. Sensei's chakra had always been in control.

If you don't know… sensei was the man that took me in after I escaped the fires of that destroyed my village. I could escape because I sensed it before it reached us. I bet mom did too, but she probably miscalculated. I grew up with him and he trained me. I knew most moves any ninja academy taught their students, though I sucked at clones. Sensei never told me his name and when I asked, he'd say his name was sensei. That was all I needed to know.

'Karin…'

I shook, scared.

'Uh… that I'm Karin Kagura.'

'No. I know your real name isn't Kagura.'

I was now very scared. Mom had told me that the surviving Uzumakis were in danger. Was this man deceiving me all along? Did he want my clan powers?

'You don't have to tell me. But you have to tell them. They'll probably know anyway. The name of the village is Konoha.'

Oh… my mom had told me Konoha was where she and my aunt-I-never-got-to-meet Kushina grew up.

But how did he know? This man is creepy. How did I not notice before?

'You are going to the academy there. What they do to accommodate you after is your business.

'You're abandoning me?' I said, wanting to cry.

'An orphan ninja must learn how to protect herself Karin.' Sense said kindly. 'I promise we'll meet again.'

'But I don't know anyone there!' I cried. 'All the girls will laugh at me just like in the village.' I started to sulk. 'I'm a weirdo.'

'Quit being melodramatic. You're smarter than all of them.'

'B-b-but I'm gonna be the youngest in class and the boys will laugh at me!' I whined. I was really that shy. I didn't want to look stupid in front of anyone but somehow I always did. Sensei sighed.

'Listen to me 'kay? You are the prettiest and smartest girl I know.' He couched and wiped my face. I think he was resisting the urge to lick it or something. 'You will overcome them, because I trained you.'

I smiled.

Later I realized he was dead wrong.

…

The first thing I noticed was a huge monument, with faces carved on it. The hokage monument, it was huge! So cool…

'Hey! Stop it!' one of the guards pointed a flash light at me.

'It's just some kid.' The other guy scoffed and came out to meet me. 'Are you lost?'

I stuttered and told them my name.

The next events were so fact. One of them teleported me to a particular building and I sensed a familiar chakra…

*knock*

'Enter.'

I didn't recognize either the face or the voice, but I did recognize the chakra. I had registered it in my subconscious as Sarutobi.

The guard told him who I was and he asked me all sorts of questions.

'Who was your mother?'

'Kikyo Uzumaki.'

'Have you met your father before?'

'No. he's dead.'

'Do you know me?'

'I recognize your chakra.'

'How?'

'I possess Kagura's mind eye. From the moment I was born I could differentiate chakra.'

'How did you survive the fires?'

'I sensed the ninjas who planned the fires. Mother did too. But she miscalculated the time frame. Mom would have survived, but she was killed abruptly.'

'Do you know Naruto Uzumaki?'

'… yes. But I only do because of his chakra.'

'Who looked after you after the village was burned?'

'Sensei.'

'Who is sensei?'

'I don't know his name.'

'And you followed this man, even when he didn't tell you?'

'I had no choice. There was no one to fight for me. I was only four.'

'Did his chakra seem suspicious?'

'No. he trained me.' I was studying my fingers all this time, my face red.

'Can you do a clone?'

'No… sensei told me that my chakra reserves were too much.' I put on a small smile. 'That's good I guess because it means that I'm hard to get rid of.'

Silence followed.

'Do you want to be a kunoichi?'

That, I was confident about. I nodded so hard my neck hurt.

*knock*

'Come in.' the hokage said with a smile on his face and I heard him say: 'this is like Kushina all over again.'

A tanned kunoichi with a scar across his nose walked in.

'This is Iruka sensei. He teaches our academy.'

The man sized me up.

'She's the cousin to that brat?'

'Iruka. She doesn't know about him. Keep it that way.'

The sensei rolled his eyes and smiled at me. He seemed angry at the hokage, but his smile was sincere.

'You'll take the classes and pass the exams and become a kunoichi.'

'I-I-I-I want to take the exams now. I know I'll pass.'

'That's not allowed anymore. I admire you zeal though.'

I smiled, bolder.

'Yeah old man!' I yelled then quickly looked at my feet again. 'I'm sorry…'

The hokage laughed.

'You are definitely an Uzumaki. Don't let anyone know that though.' He grinned. 'After classes, you'll go to the Uchiha compound. You're dismissed.'

I left with Iruka, and my eyes never left the ground.

'Hey, kid, do you want go with me and Naruto to the ramen shop?'

I shook my head hard.

'Why?'

'I-I-I-I'm ve-v-very shy…' I mumbled.

'A kunoichi can't be shy kid. Reserved, quiet… sure but never shy.'

I didn't look up.

'I'm sure the students will love you.'

…

I entered class with Iruka sensei, still feeling very shy. I refused to look at anyone, but as I entered the room, the different types and amount of chakra that hit me was overwhelming. Some had the type that the hokage should come and talk them into being circus performers or anything outside ninja. Some were destined to be genins till the day they die. Some had enough to make them break down the hokage monument. Only two dazzled me and I recognized one. The other I had a feeling I had felt it before. It was very attractive; I couldn't quite remember where I picked it up though…

'Class, this is a new student, a transfer from an upcoming village. She'll be studying with us. Now both Sasuke and Sakura should be very careful because this kid is competition.'

I didn't look up to see my supposed "competition". One would think I found my fingers fascinating, the way my eyes never left them or how I played with them.

'Introduce yourself.' Iruka muttered. I shook my head vigorously, my eyes threatening me to cry a river.

'I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I'm going to be stronger than everyone and become the hokage! Then everyone will acknowledge me! So you should quit being afraid and introduce yourself!'

Naruto…?

I recognized the chakra before the name.

Wow… his energy reserves are so… cool.

I smiled. Iruka sensei though shook his head solemnly.

'oh Naruto…' he mumbled.

'I'm going to be the strongest kunoichi in the world and when you become hokage, I'll beat you up to prove it!' I yelled pointing at him, then I resumed to admiring my fingers.

'A tomato head like you can never be a kunoichi.' Someone retorted.

The class erupted in laughter.

'Tomato head!'

'No! Four eyes!'

'No! I GOT IT! TOMATO EYED PEPPER HEAD!'

The class erupted in giggles and I started to cry. Iruka sensei was about to say something, but someone called him out of class. So I was alone.

I cried harder.

…

After class every one began to tease me, especially the girl with the purple hair. She asked me if I came from planet weirdo with Bubblegum Billboard Brow, whoever that was.

They told me my hair and eyes sucks and I had demon eyes. I started to cry. I'm such a weirdo… no one likes me… not even my cousin… he avoided me…

Maybe I am a demon…

'You kids better leave.' That chakra… it was like part of it was in the chakra of the other boy who dazzled me.

'Sasuke-kun's mom! Eeek!' one yelled. I looked up at this seemingly pretty lady with raven like hair.

'Mrs. Uchiha! Please give me your blessing to marry Sasuke-kun!' another yelled.

'Sorry. I gave someone else.' The woman smirked. The girls gasped and shed a few anime tears. The supposed mother of Sasuke sweat dropped.

'WHO?!' They cried, sulking. The woman walked behind me and used her knuckles to mess up my hair.

'This girl.'

All the other girls screamed like the world was ending as the lady took me away.

'Well, you look more like Kikyo than Kushina. That mom of yours was seeing things.'

'Are you Mikoto-san?' I asked curiously, looking up.

'Yes… and my son told me about you.'

'I've not met him.'

'He said that he was curious about your fingers. You never stopped playing with them.'

I smiled. She was warm and friendly and her chakra was warm and friendly…

'Oh by the way, I know about your Uzumaki secret. So does my husband and my first son. Don't worry we'll keep it safe.'

I nodded.

'And I mean what I said earlier. If you don't marry my son I'll kill you. I didn't give you my blessing for nothing.'

I blushed. Then we reached her clan house. It was so huge…

Hers was on the edge and it was the coolest!

Yay! I'll live here!

'Does this Sasuke know I will live with you?'

'Yep. He's not in now, however.'

I entered, and two types of chakra hit me.

One was very dark and cold and distant, the other was sad. I looked forward.

'Fugaku! Come take a look at your ex-girlfriend's daughter.' Mikoto-san yelled.

Fugaku, I'm guessing her husband, studied me.

'She's like a little piece of the Uzumakis, isn't it?' Mikoto-san smiled softly.

He wanted to smile, it was obvious, but he stood up and began to walk away. There's a word mom always used when she talked about him…

I got it!

'DUCKASS!' I yelled pointing at him. Mikoto stifled a laugh, sounding like a balloon that deflated and the teenager gave me an incredulous look.

The man turned to glare at me and twitched.

'Excuse me?'

'DUCKASS!' I said again fearlessly. 'MOM SAID YOU'RE A DUCKASS!'

Mikoto-san erupted into a mad fit of giggles. The teenager fell off the chair, rolling on the floor in laughter.

He twitched furiously and said, 'She really is a small piece of the Uzumakis. 25% Kyoka, 25% Kushina and 50% to the all great Kikyo.' He rolled his eyes. 'Welcome to my home…'

He left.

'Itachi, what do you think?'

'My little brother will be very upset to hear the person his mother picked for him call him a duckass.' Itachi said with a grave nod and smirked.

'You really are like Kikyo…' she sighed.

I began to play with my fingers, fighting tears away. Fugaku-san probably hated me now…

Itachi noticed.

'Come on. I'll take you to your room.' He held out his hand and I took it. He led me upstairs. Soon we stood in front of a room, my room.

'Why are you sad Itachi-san?' I asked. I asked shyly.

'Well…' he shook his head. 'Forget it.'

'You're sad. I feel it. I can't forget it.'

Itachi hesitated, and then kissed my forehead.

'Thank you.' He smiled, then he sent me in. 'hey,' I said, dizzy. 'Did you use a genjutsu on me?'

He raised a brow.

'How do you know what a genjutsu is?'

'I don't know my protégé genes?' I shrugged, not telling him about sensei. 'I feel hazy.'

'I see… I did not, go to sleep.'

I went in and shut the door. I felt his chakra around and then that of Sasuke. They were laughing. Then I somehow remembered a scene of me as an infant. Kushina, mom and Mikoto-san were there, the former pregnant and the latter two carrying me and Sasuke. I tried to reach for him from mom's arms, like a hyperactive baby. Now I remembered Sasuke's chakra. I shuddered. One would think I'd grow up to be a minion of his.

…

I sat up. Something was wrong.

I couldn't sense anyone's chakra. No one.

I would think that the house was empty but it wasn't just the Uchiha main house that had no sign of chakra. The entire clan house felt… deserted. Which wasn't possible, unless…

I ran to my door. It was locked. I raced through my hair for a hair pin and opened the door. I ran downstairs.

'Mikoto-san! Fugaku-sama! Itachi!'

I stopped dead. But the actual dead were the Uchihas. I cried, terrified.

I ran through the clan house being greeted by streets of dead Uchiha. It was like confetti all over the place. I kept on crying and running. Then I paused.

Itachi and Sasuke… they were alive! I ran back to the main house. Sasuke's chakra reeked of pain and vengeance and Itachi's was depressed. I reached them but what I saw made me stay behind a building. Sasuke seemed heartbroken. He obviously adored Itachi. And Itachi was beating him up. Sasuke's chakra was full of fury, hate and pain and while Itachi said horrible things to him, he seemed to be mentally dying. I could sense he hated what he was doing to his brother and he didn't mean all those hurtful things.

I was confused.

Why Itachi?

If you loved them why did you do it?

My conclusion?

He's crazy.

I didn't care what my chakra sensors said, Itachi was mental. Itachi said something about sharingan, and a second after, Sasuke had passed out. I never saw the younger one's face but I saw Itachi's as he was about to leave. He…

He was crying and…

so was I.

That's why I'm crying… and I can't stop.

My name is Karin Uzumaki and someone please help me take this pain away…

I just want it to end… I want it all to end…

**A/N: cut! Perfect! Perfect! Cast and crew take a bow please. For a six year old, Karin sure has a way with words. Will she grow up to be a poet? **

**We may never know, because I'm ending this book…**

**YOU HAVE BEEN TROLLED!**

**MOO-HA-HA-HA-HAHA-HA! **

**I will never, ever abandon this book no longer how long it takes to update it! You have the word of an emo diva ninja!**

**Moving on… I'm loving this book and I hope to update soon. It all depends on dad, wifi, school, dad and wifi.**

**If I stop updating it's likely because of dad and school. I promise that if I can't smuggle in a few chapter during the semester, once Christmas holiday kicks in, your valiant writer shall return with chapters to satisfy your desires!**

**If I don't get reviews though, there shall be a funeral for this book and if I get flames, a funeral for the flamers as well so…**

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I'm crying again.

Why does this happen? Why? Do I have a problem?

My glasses are nerdy. My hair is the dorky tomato head everyone hates.

Tomato head… tomato head… that's all they call me… that and four eyes too…

…

I went to the funeral with the hokage and Iruka. Naruto was with them too, and he probably wondered what my relationship to the Uchiha clan was.

Oh Naruto… if only you knew that I was mourning the only other person called family for us, even if she was just our godmother…

I dropped a rose for Mikoto-san and Fugaku-sama, and I wondered if he'd haunt me since I was the one who called him duckass before he died. Then again, he'd probably leave me alone since Kushina-san would pulverize any ghost that tried to torment me. That's what mom said to me…

I began to cry. I was always losing people that were or could be important in my life…

I know what I'd do though… I'd never let anyone be important in my life, so that they won't be in danger anymore. Naruto can keep on avoiding me… it's for his own good.

Iruka sensei squeezed my hand tightly.

I smiled.

No… that would be unnecessary. I need people here with me. Sensei would understand me though… he did look after me for two years…

I saw Sasuke. I didn't see his face but he hung his head and he clenched his fists tightly… he was hurting so badly… I could feel his pain and his loss but I knew I could never understand the pain being betrayed.

…

I got to class early. I lived with the hokage now and I never imagined myself waking up above six in the morning. I sat in my desk, playing with my glasses. I awaited my horrible day of prejudice patiently. Hokage-sama had no books I could read at the moment, since I had read most of them in my stay with Sensei.

I sensed Sasuke's chakra come in my radius, but I didn't look up. I was so afraid of see his face, his chakra being so cold and distant, like it changed overnight. He stood in front of me and I kept playing with my seemingly enchanting fingers. Then he grabbed them.

I looked up.

His face was so… hateful. His eyes were opaque. He was really pale too.

His hairstyle was downright weird, it stuck out like a chicken's butt, but it did suit him.

I guess I see why girls say he's cute.

Fat chance he'll think I'm half of that.

He stared at my fingers curiously then back at me.

What? He'll say my fingers are weird too?

I turned red and fought the urge to cry.

Then he huffed and left.

'Don't come early tomorrow. It's annoying.'

I sank lower into the chair and I felt my face all wet.

…

By break every girl in class had flocked round Sasuke. I had no idea how those small minded females thought they were consoling him.

They had no idea what it meant to lose their loved ones…

One of them saw me staring at Sasuke who had ignored them like they were non-existent.

'You! Quit staring at our Sasuke-kun!'

'Shut up.'

The girls gasped at the coldness of the voice and squealed.

'Oooh Sasuke-kun sounds even hotter! Eek!'

Crazy… crazy, crazy, crazy… that's what those girls are… crazy…

'Get away from me. You all irritate me.'

The girls sulked and on cue, slowly and simultaneously turned their demonically clouded face to me…

I twitched.

'Get her!'

I ran away, hoping they wouldn't catch me. Then I bumped into Iruka sensei.

He looked at the girls at my tail.

'Okay girls. Break time's over. Back to class…'

Thank you… Iruka sensei…

…

After school I ran for my life. I didn't run to the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke lived there and he thought I was annoying too. No, I ran for the hokage mansion, as far as my long legs could take me.

'Tomato head! Get back here four eyed weirdo! Our Sasuke-kun off limits to you! Geez, you're as irritating as that pink headed Bill Board Brow!'

I couldn't care less what they thought. As long as they wouldn't reach me.

I really am a weirdo.

An ugly looking redheaded four eyed weirdo.

I started to cry.

Why? What did I do to upset anyone?

Why do the girls hate me? It's not my fault I have nobody to defend me.

'You guys hold it right there and leave Kagura alone.' I halted and flinched, terribly surprised.

Naruto? He's defending me?

He stood behind them breathing hard.

'You run really fast Kagura.' He panted.

'Oh look. It's Mr. Dead-last!' they laughed. 'What are you gonna do? Eat us?'

Naruto smirked cheekily.

'I can try…'

The girls flinched, and then scowled.

'Whatever you loser.' The purple haired girl, the leader said with a triumphant grin. She glared at me. 'This isn't over four eyes.' They left haughtily.

Naruto began to laugh.

'Too funny!' he laughed. 'Did you see their faces when I said I'd eat them? They freaked alright!'

His laugh was so loud, so… unique. I began to giggle because his laugh was so contagious. And their faces were funny.

'Thank you Naruto.' I said shyly, curling my toes. To my surprise, he took my fingers curiously staring at them. 'I wander what's so cool about them.'

I nervously giggled.

'Looking at people makes me scared Naruto.'

He smiled brightly.

'Don't worry about it. You're cute that way.'

I nodded, feeling bold.

Naruto… thank you.

'I'm going to make everyone acknowledge me Karin. You watch and see.' He bashfully said with a huge smile. 'You seem familiar to me. Like I know you from someplace.'

I smiled. That was a good thing. Yet bad cause if he remembered I was his cousin that would jeopardize a lotta things.

Life just gets so complicating all the time…

I sighed loudly.

'Well… I'll be off and going now.' He nodded. 'See ya Kagura.'

He left and I smiled.

Naruto… just how are you doing without your family?

I know I'm not doing well…

…

I stood in front of a mirror. I had on black skinnies and my long tunic button down coat-shirt with short sleeves.

I looked a bit more decent. Now they wouldn't make fun of me today… right?

Sure… I don't even convince myself.

I'm one of the youngest people in class, so those mean girls get even bolder taunting me.

I sighed.

The hokage said that a couple badly wanted to adopt me, since they lost their daughter when she secretly followed her friend's older sister on a mission and got killed. So they would act as my guardians, though they actually wanted me as their child.

That's… unfortunate.

I arrived at the office and this curly haired tanned lady with a tall guy, I'm guessing her husband, who had short red hair stood there. This bubbly busty woman nearly squeezed me into oblivion.

'My name is Jay-Lin and I will try to be the perfect mom for you!' she squealed and I nearly died of suffocation.

The tall lanky fellow smiled at me.

'Hey kiddo! Karin, right?' he laughed. 'I'm Kanryu, and you're my habenaro!'

CRICKET FILLED SILENCE.

He was the only one laughing. Everyone else sweat dropped.

'Hokage-sama… I don't know if I can do this… I miss my mother and I don't…'

'Listen kid. We know how hard it is to try and start over. Our daughter was our world, and we lost her. I can't have other kids. Taking you in feels like betraying her memory, but what she would want is for us to be happy and we want to adopt you. So think of it this way: your mom would want you safe, and having us as your parents would do more than just protecting your identity.'

I smiled, feeling better.

They may never be my parents but we were both willing to try and move on… well they were. I couldn't…. but because they are willing to do so much for me, I will try to love them.

…

How could I be so stupid? Just how?

How could I think they'd accept me so easily?

They thought I looked even worse than before.

That killed me.

…

'Karin!' Jay-Lin entered my new lavender colored room. 'For heaven's sake child you'll be late for the academy today!'

I hid under the bed. I didn't want to go! My first three days in school sucked. I didn't want to go back.

'Everyone will love you! Listen to me 'kay? You are the prettiest and smartest girl I know. They'll love you.' She said sweetly.

That's the same thing sensei said before I left for Konoha.

He was wrong. That or he just lied to me to cheer me up.

Geez… grown-ups really need to stop lying. It doesn't help.

But I agreed anyway.

…

I sensed a new chakra network.

Another new student was present. He had a kekkai genkai and was a sensor type.

'Suigetsu. What's up?' he shrugged in front of class scratching his hair. I heard the squeals from the girls and felt sorry for him.

First day of school and fangirls already?

How unfortunate…

…

Recess was depressing. Everyone seemed to have fun… well everyone except me.

Sasuke was brooding.

Gosh he's totally emo like seriously.

Naruto went away with Iruka sensei some place.

The new boy, Hozuki Suigetsu tried to hide from his fangirls, which didn't work out so well.

I? Well… I was on the merry-go round on my own watching the ground with a discontented face. Suddenly, the said ride was moving really fast and I was really scared. I screamed in fear as a tomato nearly missed me. Trying to gather my senses since the ride moved too fast to view. I flinched knowing the chakra signature was of the group of girls who despised me… hated me…

My depressed ruby orbs trembled.

Why…?

Why do they hate me…?

'Tomato!' one abruptly stopped the ride, making me fall into the floor violently. I felt a mushy pulp splat on my hair then another, then another…

I held back a scream, but my mouth disobeyed me…

'Oi tomato! How is your hair so unnaturally red eh? Attention seeker isn't ya?! You are, I'm sure, that's pitiful! Keh!' one of them yelled, totally annoyed.

'Yeah! And geez who get's contacts that are red, the heck?! You little brat! Just because you have red hair and eyes and you skipped a year, it doesn't make you better than us! You are so not like us! And you're clothes suck like ew! AND WHO GAVE YOU WHAT RIGHT TO MAKE OUR SASUKE-KUN HATE US! YOU WILL PAY!'

The tomato stoning was more brutal, their voices like haunting ghosts. The leader yanked my rose colored hair. I flinched and shut my eyes in fear and bit my already bitten lips. The others laughed, condemning me.

I wished I had the clan strength to fight back.

But as always… I'm a coward…

'Leave her alone.'

Suigetsu?

I turned around and sure enough… the boy with the white hair with blue-tint and purple eyes… he was there… ready to chop them all up…

Literally…

**A/N: I rule forever! Enter my favorite human shark! No 2 is Zabuza, the third that weirdo girl who fought Omoi in the war, no 4 Kisame. **

**So tell me your thoughts and comments.**

**School has begun and I have continuous assessment tests this week! So I'll put up as much as I can before I retire for a week or two.**

**Then I'll bounce back and write more! Haha!**

**I forever rule all things good! Hahaha! I have nothing to say so… oh well.**

**Review.**

**Oh yeah! I'm going to introduce a musical band that sings and has their reality TV show soon. I'm not sure when… I assure you this isn't a suckish musical. It's not a musical at all but I have plans for Sasuke… plans to destroy his emo reputation forever!**

**Review.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Enough…

No more…

Never… never again…

…

'h-h-h-hi-iiiiii Suigetsu-kuuuun.' The girls drawled. 'Wanna see us thwart the rotten tomato?'

R-r-rotten-n to-tom-m-mato?

Why? Great… now I hate tomatoes… they'll forever be a symbol of my annoying hair and how I'm always tormented…

'The only rotten beings here are you brats.' He scoffed, clearly annoyed. 'It's really not her fault she makes you guys look ugly and all but please go vent your jealousy on someone who's as ugly as you guys?'

I froze.

He…he-he c-c-called me p-p-prett-tt-tty…

He thinks I'm pretty…

'See! This four eyes is a witch! She's bewitching everyone in the academy! Let's beat her up and break the spell!'

'These girls are as dense as Aniki's sword…' I heard the new boy mutter to himself. 'Look, I have a very bad habit of chopping up dense-minded females like you into pieces.' He got out a very long sword.

How-? The chakra it uses is much and he's so young and… what the flip is a seven year old doing with a jounin level sword?!

'So please go vent your jealousy anywhere else but on her.'

The girls cried in outrage and ran away glaring at me.

I blushed noticing how I was staring at Suigetsu with my huge ruby orbs and ducked my head.

'Uh… thank you…'

'…'

'…'

I looked up a bit and found him glaring at me.

'Great. For a moment I thought you weren't as dense, but you are.' he huffed, annoyed. 'What's worse is that you're terribly horribly stupidly timid.' He crossed his arms and stalked away. 'Gone…'

Why…?

Why am I like this…?

Is that really how everyone views me? Is that really what I am?

If I really am like that… how… just how can I change?

How do I change?

…

I walked home slowly constantly on alert. I wasn't molding chakra as per say… I never need to.

My sensors are like reflexes. I just… sense stuff somehow.

But enough on how talented I am…

I was tired of running and being afraid. I didn't want a reason to run anymore. I wanted to stand up for myself like how sensei taught me…

_Flashback_

_'Hey hey sensei!' I called happily running up the forest path to catch up to my pale dark eyed master. 'What are we going to learn today?'_

_'Nothing?'_

_My eyes grew wide in shock._

_'REALLY?'_

_'Yes… aren't you relieved?' he asked, looking confused._

_'Not really. I like training. The fact that it makes me closer to being kunoichi excites me!' I cheered excitedly. I always was close to sensei. Like the mean older brother I never had… maybe like what Naruto could've been but that was all in the past now…_

_'Well today you will learn to interact with others.'_

_I froze._

_'L-l-like t-t-talking to people?' I stuttered, afraid._

_He smiled evilly at me._

_My point exactly about mean._

_'Yep.'_

_'NOOOOOOO!'_

_'Then I'm afraid you'll never be kunoichi!*sadistic laughter*'_

_I began to cry._

_'People hate me. And I can't do anything about it…'_

_'You'll have to learn how to stand up for yourself.'_

_'S-stand up? Well… I'm on my feet already.'_

_He laughed again._

_'No idiot… defend yourself in times of trouble. Talk back, through a fist, break a leg…'_

_I shuddered._

_'So violent.' I whimpered._

_'the greatest thing one can ever achieve is the ability to defend yourself and others.' He said with a smile. 'that goes against my belief but it's certainly what you'll need to fulfill my purpose and yours in the place you'll soon be living in.'_

_'defend myself and others…'_

_*end*_

Sensei… I have failed you…

But I won't fail you again…

I slowed my pace, scanning my surroundings…

'no one is here to save you now freak…' I heard a voice in the trees.

*sadistic childish laughter*

Gosh… their signature is so…

'ugh… repulsive.'

My eyes grew with shock when I recognized the voice as my own. It sounded cold and emotionless… and downright pissed.

'what?! Get this red-haired whore!' the leader yelled. on impulse, my feet whirled and took me away from them.

I was running away… instead of defending myself...

I was doing the opposite of what I promised…

'hurry up! We need to beat this brat up so that we can break the witchcraft spell! Even Naruto has to be rescued!'

'geez, you are as dense as lead…'

There it is again! The menacing voice!

I ran faster, hoping that they wont catch me till I tripped and fell.

Splat! Went a tomato so close to my head that my eyes grew wide in shock.

'that is one nasty murder of fruit…' I muttered before standing up and running.

Why…? Why me…?

This isn't good… or fair…

All I want to do is go home.

I miss mom.

I miss the snow.

I miss Naruto…

I need to escape-no-I need to defend myself.

From them… those mean girls…

I ran into the woods, breathing fast…

I need-

I heard them chanting and screaming and I doubled up in a fright…

What is this madness…

I ran farther and faster and farther and-

I came to a sudden halt seeing this huge shimmering vast lake. Curious, my eyes and sensors spread through my radius. My red eyes found the only person there before my sensors did… it was Sasuke.

'…'

'…'

In shock my butt connected to the floor forcing out an eep causing Sasuke to look at me.

'…'

'…'

I camouflaged with my hair once we made I contact and stood up, twitching furiously. I abruptly dusted my violet dress clean.

'well… this is awkward…' I mumbled, feeling embarrassed.

I'm so clumsy and shy… and I say the most awfully stupid things…

I'm utterly pathetic… I could even feel my eyes get all wet and glossy…

…

My turbulent ruby orbs were deeply bored by his calm onyx ones…

Gosh some vocabulary I've got there…

He looked detached and disconnected from life as his hands stayed fixed in his gray pockets. He barely glanced over his shoulders to scrutinize me…

His chakra is so full of pain and revenge…

How much did you suffer… Sasuke…?

You seem to barely care for anything now…

'you? What do you want…?'he muttered, sounding slightly annoyed. His eyes were now fixed on the lake.

I gathered my now disorientated thoughts in place.

'uh… well, uh… those small minded females are chasing me all over the place and now it seems to me that I am lost. For if I was not lost I wouldn't have come to see you as you have no importance in my life…' I said casually waving my hand before realizing how mean I sounded.

His eyes stayed fixed on the lake and he chuckled before I could apologize.

'Hn. It seems to me that you are the dense minded female.'

I twitched at this.

How dare he?! That made me so confused and mad and hurt…

He was so cold yet… so calm…

I understand him. I mean my timidity comes from my suffering and Naruto smiles to hide his pain…

Sasuke's way of enduring is brooding… I think.

'wh-why?'

'well you're new. Only dense minded people run into the forest of a place they barely know. You should have gone home.'

'no way… they'd know where I live and they'd T.P it.' I retorted with a small scowl.

He thought for a while and rolled his eyes.

'hn.'

I sweat dropped.

Wow…some nice comeback ya got there…

Victory!

's-s-sasuke, why are you out here?'

'training.'

I blinked and repeated him.

'yeah. So get lost.'

So monotone… so cold… so mean…

Geez… now I'm frowning…

'I am lost though…'

'Tch.'

'Aren't you a bit too young? We are still at a very tender age, learning basics and all… training seems risky…'

I feel like such a hypocrite. Sensei used to work me to the bone in taijutsu and genjutsu.

'you truly are idiotic.' He said cruelly. 'to be truly strong I must train always. I have no time to lose…'

'revenge… no?' I sighed. 'on him.'

'how did-?'

'I was there.' I watched him. 'I'm sorry… now you're depressed'

'…'

'…'

'…'

'can I train with you?'

'NO!' he sounded angry and irritated. And his eyes were glossy. I felt so bad now…

I began to hold back a sob.

'you wasted a lot of my time! Leave me alone…' he barked harshly.

I'm horrible… I'm just crying there instead of yelling back…instead of defending myself…

'"oh my gosh! Look at me! I'm a big brooding emo who has an ego bigger than my butt! I'm too cool to hang around others! My family died and I'll be an egoistic jerk!" you think you're the only one with a horrible past haunting them?! Some people don't even have a past! They've been alone from day one! S-since you w-want to be mean fine! I'll go train on my own! every day and moment of my life to be strong! You heard on my first day at academy! I'm gonna beat up the hokage when I get stronger!' I yelled at once with confidence and studied my fingers intensely.

Sasuke twitched… furiously.

I was kinda mean… but… he was so cruel to me… I had to defend myself somehow… I had to stop being a cry-baby…

It's enough… no more…

Never… never again…

**A/N: you guys rock! To all my reviewers thanks. I'm still looking for a way to thank you. Suigetsu gives you sushi! *Suigetsu hands out sushi*.**

**So… my friends and I in school hacked into the wifi and one of the "critics" read this book and gave me a hug. Which annoyed me to no end, as I detest hugs.**

**I'm no hugger nigga.**

**Anywho.. I might be able to put 2 or 3 chapters up before resuming a life of torturous education…**

**Life sucks major anaconda…**

**I hate Anaconda by Nicki Minaj like goodness. I found out what the song meant and hell knows I was gonna bazooka any bastard in my way for the rest of the day. Bang bang is my best song now so…**

**Just review please.**

**FSS is out!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Habenaro… my new nickname…

Habenaro pepper…

That's what they call me now…

…

'You tomato disaster! You stalk our Sasuke-kun now!? This witchcraft must end now! You are done for twerp!' the leader of the girls roared on finding us…

I winced.

Sasuke was livid.

'Damn it all to hell and forget about privacy…' he muttered face palming.

Man… he must be so annoyed now…

'We'll save you from the sorceress! Don't worry!' another yelled in a screechy giggle while she blushed.

'Cockroaches… cockroaches that need to be destroyed urgently…' I hissed in annoyance before realizing how mean I sounded.

I have issues like whoa…

'How dare you?! I'll kill you!' they screamed.

'Lay off!' Sasuke snarled. 'She's right!'

'See! It's the voodoo again! We must hurry before it's late!'

Sasuke sighed.

'I give up…' he grabbed my hand and began to run. 'Let's bail!'

We ran through the viridian trees. Sasuke slowed me down so I took his hand and darted ahead. He yelled out directions, barely gasping.

I had to forgive him though.

I had mom's speed and dad's stamina. He must be in pain now.

'Sasuke-kun! Where are you headed?! Stay with us!'

I turned and was shocked on seeing no one there.

Then I tripped and fell to my utmost damnation of eternal doom!

Not really… I just tripped and fell…

Hehe…

Anywho…

I swallowed a scream and fell face first into the floor. I heard Sasuke groan in annoyance as I coughed.

'Hurry up damn it!'

Potty mouth… mom would wash his mouth with soap…

Mom…

SIGH.

We continued to run and I felt my face heat up knowing I was holding his hand.

Gosh… my poor head… such a weird-ish redhead that I am…

Soon I arrived the village…

We actually…

I scanned our surroundings. No Sasuke minions here….

Sasuke looked tired out but he kept composure as I sucked in and breathed out a storm.

In other words… I was panting really hard…

'Hn. Safe.' He said aloofly, the monotone making my heart do a pirouette all over the place for an unknown reason. I could only nod while grinning like a wacko-maniac.

I think I'm close to home…

'Hn… gone…' he left.

Geez… would it hurt to walk me home…?

…

'Haha! THAT WAS EPIC!' Naruto laughed.

'Awesome stuff otoutu!' I wheezed back. 'Did you see his face!?

'Uh huh!'

A month had passed. I avoided the stripper minions and Naruto has helped be more outgoing.

I'm still timid though but meh… I can live.

But today… I'm crying.

I remembered what Suigetsu told me and how I fought with Sasuke…

SIGH.

I go round pranking people to ignore my blaring past but when I sit down to think… and I remember all the pain and feel it…

Again… SIGH.

'OI! Karin nee-chan!'

Naruto…?

…

'guess who got ichiraku tickets for free ramen!'

I smiled.

Naruto… mother would pummel you for binging again… I miss mom so much…

And sensei…

I wonder where he is. Probably being a sadist and hating everyone.

'uh… nee-san? You okay?' my blonde cousin called me out of my reverie.

I looked out my balcony.

'sure thing!' I jumped out and landed with a shaky grace. Sensei would kill me for my epic fail of a landing. 'I'm fine! Let's-'

An unknown force wacked my head and sent me into the ground.

'And to where are you off to with that-that-that THING!' Jay-lin screeched, my head throbbing. My jaw dropped.

My cousin…

My one true friend…

My family…

Who… who does she th-think she is?

'N-n-Naruto is my friend obaa-chan…' I sniffled and began to cry.

'The hell?! This monster is not your friend! Never go near him again!' she slapped me as soon as I got on my feet. 'So the rumors of you pulling pranks with this devil is true?! You're letting him influence you?!'

Monster…?

'He's the only person who's been nice to me…'

'I said: NEVER AGAIN! AND YOU!' she faced my blonde whiskered friend. 'Come near her and I'll kill you!'

I gasped.

Naruto…

In all the time I spent with Jay-lin, never did I think she could be so cruel. Sure… she could be scary when you were rude or Kanryu oi-san told a bad joke.

But to be this menacing….

To a six year old orphan…

If she's mean to him then how can she claim to love me so easily…?

Naruto smiled a bit, his huge swirling pools of azure orbs glistening with sadness… and his chakra so… so depressing. But he hid it all… behind a smile… a lying smile… a façade… a mask…

He was so alone…

Like how I felt so alone…

'NO! NARUTO!' I screamed I wanted to run after him. Take him away to ichiraku's to eat a whole pile of ramen.

Prank every cranky sales attendant in the village.

Torment Iruka sensei all day.

Anything to wipe away that façade and bring out a real smile….

I wanted to, but Jay-lin stopped me.

'It's okay nee-chan…' he said. 'Listen to her.'

'but-'

'THAT'S RIGHT! THAT'S IT ALL RIGHT YA LIL' DEVIL! BOW YOUR HEAD IN SHAME AND WALK AWAY! LEAVE MY DAUGHTER ALON-'

My pupils constricted into red dots, fearless and wild. I punched my guardian into a wall.

'I AM NOT YOUR DAUGHTER AND I'LL NEVER BE DAMN IT!' I barked, shaking timidly and wildly waving my fists about.

Then I froze.

How… can I be so strong…?

Maybe those girls… were right?

Maybe… I'm a witch?

I began to run.

It's stupid… I know but still…

'Karin!' Jay-lin weakly called.

I ran faster.

I wanted to run back to sensei, to the ashes that were once my village.

To where my happiest memories were…

But I ran to the cemetery instead.

I ran by graves of countless people. I felt a chakra signature but I was far too troubled to bother…

I stood in front of a grave.

"Kikyo U."

"U" because if Uzumaki was spelt out, people would the connect dots and reveal my identity and Naruto's…

But anyway…

I sat in front of her grave, mother's grave, crying.

'I forgot to bring the roses ma. I'll remember later… I just please let me be here with you now…'

Why…?

Why am I alone…?

Why did people try to destroy the village when Naruto and I were born?

Why did we have to suffer?

w-what did we do wrong…?

'Why am I so alone… why? I don't w-w-want t-to. I don't deserve to… I'm flippin' six years old!' I sobbed. 'No one can understand the pain I feel. The constant losing over and over… this void… this pain… this solitude… no one will understand it… no one can…' I stopped picking up his chakra before he spoke.

'I can nee-chan.'

My tears stopped.

'Naruto…?'

'On a far larger scale.'

'Naruto…' I hugged him. 'We … we're equals… you and I… we are alone.' I whispered.

'no.' he backed away from me as he spoke. 'I am alone. You have it all… but you are too blind to see it. You don't appreciate it.'

I stared, befuddled.

'I know getting teased all the time because you're younger than most girls and because you're different hurts but it can't be compared to my struggles. And you shouldn't have spoken to your mom that –'

'She. Is not. My mother.' I hissed bitterly, looking away.

'Stop nee-chan! I have no family! How do you think I feel? You have a family th-'

'I HAVE NO FAMILY DAMN IT! GET IT IN YOUR SKULL!' I cried and began to sob. 'Iruka sensei told you I'm a transfer student, which is true. But I am that because I had nothing.'

My blonde cousin scrutinized me skeptically.

'I don't get it…'

'The village I came from was destroyed.'

'So who's the scary lady who screamed at me?'

'My guardian. She and her husband were assigned to me a month ago or so.' I choked in a sob. 'My real mother died in the fires. My dad died before I could know him. My mom was my world, but she died. My cousin was taken away from me for reasons I don't fully understand. I can't tell him who he really is. He was like a brother to me. . I sensed the people coming to destroy the village. We both did. But I did nothing but cry… just cry… they were right… I-I-I am weak…'

I cried even harder.

'Did the hokage ever expect me to just easily replace her? When I can't take her off my mind? To so brutally replace her with this random couple? What was my whole world is now a dream… I live in a nightmare now… an unending nightmare… and sometime I wonder what it is I have to live for…'

Naruto hugged me.

'You are not alone Karin. Not anymore. I vow to be the best brother ever. The reader of your diaries and the pest of your existence. The annoyance of your day and the bug in your ear! BELIEVE IT!'

Naruto…

'Uzumaki Naruto… thanks you…'

…

I ran as hard as I could.

How could I be late?

I'm never late!

Little by little, day by day I grow stronger, thanks to Naruto.

Sometimes he is the pest of my existence though.

But I'm not complaining.

I get to be close to my cousin and now we're closer than siblings.

Win-win! See?

Hee-hee.

We pull off the most epic pranks in history.

I have to get to class…

So late…

I'm such a weirdo though…

Most kids do everything to avoid academy…

Not me…

I love it.

I love to read… bookworm or workaholic is totally a nickname for me…

It beats tomato four eyed freak any day…

…

I got to class eventually…

I was reading about a ninja who realized his dreams… so cool…

'OI! The four eyed freak is here!'

'Clear the way for the witch of Konoha before she hexes you!'

'Tomatoes! Getcha tomato head!'

Mean girls. The horrible mean girls I tried to avoid everyday…

'you've been hiding from us tomato!' one yanked my hair. My eyes boiled with tears…

Boiling eyes!

Anywho…

They were taunting, teasing huge tear drops daring to disobey me.

No! No! No!

Don't' fall!

Don't fall you hear me stupid tears?! Don't you here!?

Don't… *sniff* fall...

'Oops. She's bruised!' another tripped me and I fell. They yanked me up by my hair and I winced bitterly. 'I hate bruised tomatoes! Wait-I already hate tomatoes! Haha!'

'Meanies! You all are mean!' I cried loudly, my voice terribly timid.

'Really?! You lil' bitch!'

'Potty mouths! All of you! Get some soap and wash your mouth!' I yelled trying to swat their hands away. The laughed and kneed me in the stomach, making me gasp wildly for air.

'Leave my sister alone!' Naruto yelled. 'Let her go! Buzz off!'

'Leave us alone you freak! You damn loser! You are as suck-ish as that disgusting-ish fou-'

I lost it right there.

'SHUT THE HECK UP NOW AND LAY OFF!' I screamed and ripped my fixed desk from the floor, throwing it out of the window and out of my way. I proceeded to yanking the purple haired leader by the hair and spinning her round high above my head, like a mace, using her to knock down her friends. Then, I threw her into a wall. 'LEAVE ME ALONE! AND NEVER TALK NARUTO DOWN AGAIN YOU NARROW MINDED IDIOT!' I barked. 'AND BY THE WAY, SUCK-ISH AND DISGUSTNG-ISH ARENT REAL WORDS DUMB-DUMB! HABENERO!'

I began to shake, terribly frightened at my strength… my boldness…

What possessed me?

How…?

I hope I didn't hurt them…

Okay that's just dumb.

This strength though…

'You'll pay ya lil whore!' they yelled as I hid my face beneath my palms.

Why…?

Why do I feel horrible…?

I… I was defending myself…

Wasn't I?

'Language.' Iruka sensei walked in and he was NOT happy.

Thank you Iruka sensei…

Thank you…

…

Jay-lin obaa-chan and I were on edge. Kanryu seemed to be happy though, telling lame jokes all over the place.

'I…'

'…'

'…'

'…'

They looked at me.

'Yes carrot-top? What can I do for ya?' Kanryu chuckled at his teasing.

'I… I… have to go…' I stood up, looking at my fascinating fingers. 'I want to go train…'

'Aren't you too young for that…?'

'I am… working hard to achieve my dreams… I have to start early…'

'All right Karin… we all know you're a workaholic Hun, but you get back here early, okay?' he smiled. 'And work hard!'

I smiled back, my shyness gone. He… he cared…

'Yes!' I cheered clenching my fist excitedly. 'I will work hard!'

I turned and skipped to the door.

'Karin.'

I turned to Jay-lin, looking down.

'Y-yes?'

'Be careful… okay?'

I smiled… so she cared too…

I nodded.

'YES!'

…

Cherry blossom wood… so dark at night it is.

Well… duh.

It's the woods… at night.

It was scary to be in the dark… but sometimes it was so relaxing.

Sensei said that the night was my element and people like me were strongest by night.

Epic stuff…

G-g-genjutsu?

I saw three huge anacondas coming at me to swallow my small frail body… I froze for a moment from the killer intent, but then I bit my lip hard and let the pain distract me.

'RELEASE!'

The snakes disappeared and three genins left the shadows.

'Hm… the famous four eyed tomato who beat up my sister had a brain… how could that be?' one purple haired 12 year old laughed.

'You… you go away now…' I shivered at the KI.

'We're genin. Y'know that?'

'As you said, I have a brain.' I timidly countered.

I was afraid… did the girls hate me so much… to said ninjas to beat me up?

'If you were 8 years older I'd do more to you than bruise your cute face.' A 14 year old looking pedophile (wander what that means…).

I ran.

Where? Who cares?

To sensei… my ashen home… my new home…?

I dunno…

I didn't hold the tears back… I couldn't…

So I let them fall…

3 kunais narrowly missed me. A real kunai… not those things at the academy… the one sensei used to train me… the ones that actually hurt people.

I tripped and fell.

'Haha! This kid is so done for!'

'Let the kicking begin!'

The jab in my stomach made me gasp weakly.

'You know you really aren't liked here, right?' one 13 year old taunted.

'Go back to your village child whore!'

'Wh-what does whore mean…?' I whispered.

'Dumbass!'

I winced as they kicked harder.

'Next time don't mess with our sisters!'

'They deserved it!' I yelled struggling to my fours. Just push them a bit more…

One frowned.

'Pricky lil' cunt!'

Blood spewed out of my mouth and I wheezed…

Now or never…

'HABENERO!' I shot up with a clean upper cut to the eldest's jaw. I proceeded to crushing his nose and I kicked the other one in the shins.

'She's crazy! I'm gone!'

'Count me out!'

They ran away like cowards and I smirked.

'You brat! Why don't you understand that you aren't wanted here?'

I could feel my face get wet.

'kids like you are untalented and will never be ninja!

I wiped the tears, but more came.

'This is why I hate kunoichi and any girl who think they can be ninja! Go stick to kitchen duty!'

I swallowed hard.

'Just leave the village you bitch you can never be anything in our village! You are unwanted here! Don't forget it! Un-'

'SHUT UP!' I pounced on him and repeatedly punched his face with my fist. 'DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT I LIKE YOUR CURSED VILLAGE SO MUCH? A VILLAGE THAT TELLS ME TO LIE FOR REASONS I DON'T UNDERSTAND? OR DO YOU BELIEVE THE WAY I LIVE IS SOME SORT OF COOL LIFESTYLE?! DO YOU THINK BEING UNFORTUNATE IS A GOOD THING?! THAT IT'S COOL?! I STAND AMONGST SO MANY PEOPLE, SMARTER THAN THEIR PARENTS EVER WERE, YET I AM ALONE! WITH NO ONE! YOU THINK I LIKE THAT!?'

I head butted him before jumping off.

'I hate you all… you have no idea how much…' I seethed. My fists were bloodied but I didn't care.

I defended myself.

'Crazy!' he cried holding his battered nose and bloodied mouth. 'You are crazy.'

I covered my face.

'I know… you will never understand either way… just go away…'

He ran off, cussing. I bit my lip in pain and the pain disappeared… just like that.

Skeptical, bit my thumb, making it bleed then I bit my arm… it healed.

I have a super power! Hehe! I shall call it heal bite! So cool…

I did hate living in Konoha though.

Naruto is the son of a hero, why treat him badly…

Don't they know…?

And the hokage making me lie… to everyone else I understand about protecting me and Naruto but… to lie to him… about having no family and letting him suffer… and he doesn't even know anything about them…

There's something fishy going on…

…

People in class were staring at me, like I did something crazy…

'That girl…'

'She beat up 3 genins last night…'

'What a freak, wonder if her folks know…'

'So powerful…'

I had mixed feelings but then…

'Yeah! That's my big sister for ya! Mess with her and she'll paralyze you like word!' Naruto hooted tackling me to the ground.

'Get of me brat!' I giggled. 'Nothing binds us but a mutual hatred!'

'In Karin nee-chan's dia-'

'All nighters ramen on me!' I timidly yelled, blushing. Anything to shut him up from spilling secrets of my mind…

'Deal!' he chuckled. 'Prepare to be broke!'

All of a sudden those mean girls burst in.

'Where is she?! The "oh all-mighty habenaro!"'

'That freak will pay!'

They dashed to my table yelling crazy things like witchcraft and all.

'Stand aside Blondie!' they pointed at Naruto. 'This is between us and the hot blooded habenaro pepper!'

'Come on, hit us! Eh? Hit us!'

One pulled my hair and they called me names…

'Hit us!'

I held back. I didn't want to hurt them. Jay-lin was already angry at the complaints she got yesterday…

'I knew it! All hype and no show from the cold blooded tomato!'

'Tomatoes have no blood…'

'Oh shut it know-it-all! You-'

'Buzz off…'

'Suigetsu-kun!' they squealed. 'She beat up our brothers! She's-'

'Get lost. Or I'll use you guys as target practice with my sword today.'

They disappeared into dust, I didn't think it was possible, but they did.

Suigetsu smirked at me.

'Sorry 'bout last time. I got really upset. And it turns out you're not all that weak even.' He chuckled.

'Hey you! Are you trying to be funny…?' Naruto muttered stalking towards him. He circled him like a hawk, his blue eyes scrutinizingly hard and stern. 'Karin is my sister in all but blood and I'll kill you if you're a funny guy! BELIEVE IT!'

'Naruto! Idiot!' I timidly gushed, blushing as red as a beetroot.

'Got that right…' I heard someone mutter behind me.

It was Sasuke, and he looked away, a small smirk on his face.

'Habenaro… huh?' I heard him whisper.

Habenaro… that's what they call me now…

**A/N: longest chapter ever! My god! No wonder it took me so long to finish. All my favoriters! I thank you! Am also looking for how I'll personally discuss with you on important issues in the world today like loafers and vodka. Those are important aspects of the teenage economy today.**

**That's today's pun guys!**

**It's someone's birthday soon! Who?! The one who gets the right answer gets to be laid by Itachi! Woo-hoo!**

**Review.**

**FSS IS OUT! YOLO!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I wonder…

I really wonder…

I wonder Naruto… have you ever celebrated a birthday since you left us…?

Since you left mother and me…?

…

'Do you see it?' Naruto whispered to me.

'Yes.' I nodded, blushing.

It was autumn season. This weirdo had yelled at Naruto for some reason and he happened to be the person who took care of the park I sometimes go to think about life. He was so far away and he had scraped up huge piles of brown, dead leaves. We wanted to race and mess up the piles. It was going to be so much fun…

'Hey! On three!'

'One,'

'Two,'

We yelled at the same time:

'THREE!'

'BELIEVE IT!'

'HABENARO!'

We ran as fast as we could. The man was really far off like really, but we didn't get tired.

Score one for freakish stamina of the Uzumaki, WORD!

Moving on…

Under a minute, we did this amazing long jump thingy (very impressive for a bunch of six year olds) and we sailed over head the gardener and right into the pile of leaves. We threw them up in the air, laughing and yelling. They got stuck in our hair, but meh, it was worth it habenaro!

The old man chuckled.

'Kids will be kids…'

Naruto looked confused.

'Don't you hate me for some reason I don't know?'

'No… you were just being a rapscallion for taking my ramen coupons. I'm not like most of 'em villagers.' He laughed.

I twitched…

So this man was just being responsible ramen fan… and we messed up his work for nothing…

'Naruto…' I growled at my cousin who sheepishly laughed.

'I forgot that one detail... Hehe… believe it?'

'no.' I deadpanned.

'Well… cute as you two are… I'm gonna have to report you to the authorities for messing up my work.' He smirked. We fell on our knees.

'No please!' Naruto begged.

'Mercy! Oh have mercy!' I made an attempt to sing in a sassy choir voice and made an EPIC but cute fail.

'I guess I can let you off the hook if you do one little detail…'

So we spent a perfectly breezy autumn afternoon gathering piles of leaves because Naruto somehow kept on brainwashing me to mess up the piles half way through.

The gardener, Hajiro-san, gave us some cash and said that he looked forward to a ramen ticket stealing, autumn leaf messing up hokage and Naruto was like:

'Yeah old man! Believe it!'

I just smiled and thanked him. Very few people-almost non-existent-treated Naruto like a normal child, I'm just glad Naruto met someone nice.

So we were basically heading nowhere, walking down the street, when I felt a chakra signature near.

'Someone is,' twitch. 'Stalking us.' I muttered.

The signature then disappeared, immediately.

We continued our stroll.

'What a waste of a perfect October first.' Naruto sighed.

I slapped his head.

'Well, if you didn't unjustly mess up Hajiro-san's work or keep on messing up ours, we would have enough time to do what you want today.' I timidly protested. 'Sorry Naruto.'

I sighed.

Man…timidity sucks.

Then I remembered something.

October tenth was… Naruto's birthday…

…

'Suigetsu!' I yelled weakly running up to the shark-like-chakra filled boy. 'h-hi…'

'Hey Karin!' he grinned. 'What? Are you lost or something?'

'What do I get Naruto for his birthday?!' I whined like the pathetic toddler I am.

'A life-time supply of ramen.' He scoffed. 'Seriously, was that supposed to be a brain teaser?'

I shook my head.

'Be sure to get him a present!' I said in my timidly bold way.

He shrugged.

'Hey, whatever shakes up your milk Habenaro.' He said aloofly. 'See ya?'

I nodded.

'Later Suigetsu!'

…

'IRUKA-SENSEI! I FOUND YOU!' I yelled in somewhat relief.

'Kagura? You were never this loud, sheesh.' Iruka sensei scratched his ear. 'What? Do you need anything?'

I blushed, ducking my head.

'Well today's October fifth and five days from now is-'

'The day I lost-'he cut himself short. 'Forget it. What is October tenth?'

'Naruto's birthday! I want celebrate something big to make up for, y'know…' I let my voice die. 'All these years of alone-ness…'

Iruka smiled.

'The party begins at ichiraku's…'

'I'll be there.'

…

'Grr…'

'You've grown worse than your cousins put together.' Hokage-sama blew a gust of smoke in my face.

'When I do finally meet that old fart, I'll be braver. Then I'll kill him.' I growled. 'Mom even called him a pervert.'

'She wasn't far from the truth.'

'Can't he show up once?' I pleaded. 'To let Naruto know that he exists or something?'

He shook his head.

'But I think it's great you do this Karin-chan. This shows you have the will of fire in you to be a great kunoichi.' He smiled.

'Hehehe…' I bashfully chuckled before squinting. 'I'm watching you…'

'Sheesh...' he rolled his eyes.

…

I ran through the woods.

Where… where was he…?

It's like he vanished or something.

His house is empty, and the training grounds are empty…

My eyes viciously scanned my surrounding as did my sensors.

Where could he be?

Where are you…? Uchiha Sasuke…?

Wait… lake… he's usually by a lake… staring…

Weirdo…

His eyes held much familiarity.

I'd seen such eyes before.

Eyes of pain, grief and loneliness…

I had seen them in Naruto's…

And in mine…

'Sasuke… 'I said quietly.

He turned slightly to look at me.

'You…? It's been a while.'

I raised a brow.

'The holiday is for 2 weeks. It's just ten days…' I timidly inquired.

'Well…. What? You're disturbing me.' His eyes went back to the lake.

'It's just… I'm planning a surprise birthday for otoutu and…'

I went silent.

He was glaring at me.

'He's a loser and a goof. Why waste time on him?'

I flinched.

Of all people, I expected him to understand Naruto… he after all was alone as Naruto is, or was…

I know he's cold, but why so much venom at him…?

And Naruto hates Sasuke too…

Why don't they understand themselves…?

'Naruto may not be intellectually great and all and I'll admit, he's a goofball… but Naruto is the little brother I lost a longtime ago. We are closer than siblings, and since all his life no one ever cared to acknowledge his existence for as long as he could remember, I will.' I said quietly but firmly. 'you both suffered a lot as little kids… which you still are, so why hate each other so?'

His answer was a simple one.

'Hn.'

I twitched.

'Are you coming…?' I shyly asked. 'It's at ichiraku's…'

'It's a waste of time. I won't go.'

I frowned.

'And they say girls are prissy and fussy…' I huffed and left.

Who cares… we'll have a birthday bash without him…

…

I stopped in my tracks.

I was being mean…

I'm not supposed to be mean…

I sighed loudly and glanced over my shoulder.

'Even if you hate Naruto… at least show up for my sake… however annoying he may be most times, he is the reason I feel less alone. This party is in his honor. You'll get irritated, but you will feel less alone…'

'Hn…'

…

October ninth… wow…

I was going shopping, avoiding Naruto a lot and plotting with the people coming for his party when I bumped into another child my age…

He had red hair…

'S-sorry…' I stammered.

'It's okay.' He said and helped me pick up my stuff. 'I got transferred here days ago to start academy schooling! I'll be a ninja!'

I smiled sadly.

I'll be sure to give him the talk of redhead discrimination at the academy.

'Cool…'

'I'm Jugo! Why so much stuff there…?' he asked. 'What's your name?'

'Karin… and it's for my friend's party… he's like a little brother to me…' I said quietly.

'Can I help with the arrangements and stuff!? I'd also like to come!'

I couldn't believe it… a kid my age that wasn't cold or acting all cocky was being nice to me…

He wasn't laughing at me or teasing me…

The only person in his category is Naruto…

We continued on.

'W-w-wait!' I heard a voice even more timid than mine. I recognized the chakra.

It was that of the person stalking me and Naruto… and it was a classmate…

'H-Hinata?' I stuttered.

She was a kinda weird… like me. She never gawked Sasuke; she never bullied me, never teased Naruto…

She admired Naruto's determination… so I heard.

'k-Karin-chan.' she meekly said. 'I heard N-Naruto-kun's birthday is tomorrow… and I wanted to help bake his c-c-cake… I-if you don't mind…' she blushed.

I smiled.

'S-sure Hinata! This is Jugo and after the break he'll join the academy with us!'

'H-h-hi Jugo-kun…'

'Hi Hinata!' he beamed. 'Let's make a party!'

'Yes! Come! Hurry! It's tomorrow!'

…

'Karin-chan… where are you going darling?' jay-lin asked, noticing me in my lilac dress and denim jacket and high knee boots.

'I met the new transfer to the academy yesterday. I want to go meet him today to show him round the village…' I lied.

I hate lying, I feel guilty when I do…

Sadly, I'm good at telling lies because my sensor works as a lie detector.

Naruto knows when people lie too…

Must be the Uzumaki thing…

'Finally kiddo! You are getting out of your shell! For a moment I thought you were a snail!' Kanryu laughed.

CRICKET FILLED SILENCE.

I sighed.

'I'm sorry Kanryu-kun, but you-'

'Silence! I'm the king of jokes!'

CRICKET FILLED SILENCE.

'I can't do this… bye!' my eyes widened.

I thought my impulsive speeches were gone now!

SIGH

Oh well…

…

The streets were full of sad faces. It was 7-something in the morning.

In class, we were taught that the Kyuubi-a 9 tailed demon-destroyed the village seven years ago.

It's sad how Naruto was born that day.

I still remember its chakra. Ugly and vile and hateful…

I shook off the vibes of bad-ness.

Time to wake up my six year-old goofball…

I did the chakra propelled jump thing sensei taught me to get high enough to reach Naruto's floor.

I saw so many mean sticky-notes on his door.

They called him so many hateful things.

They wished him a horrible birthday and told him to burn in hell and told him to die and told him he was a demon…

Was it his fault he was born that day?

Why be so cruel…?

As I opened the door someone threw a teddy bear with an explosive tag towards me.

'Happy birthday demon!' he yelled then spotted me. 'Hey you! Leave!'

I caught the teddy bear and threw it back.

'Keep it with you meanie! Have fun blowing up!' I smiled and waved at him innocently, smiling. He screamed and threw it at some random refuse area.

BOOM

I heard a loud meow.

Poor alley cat…

Anywho…

'Otoutu! Oi!' I yelled walking into his messy apartment.

_I forgot my gas mask…_, I thought.

'Naruto!'

'Karin-neechan?' I heard Naruto sleepily call.

He stumbled out of his room in the cutest pjs ever!

It was turquoise and vertically striped with the most adorable penguin sleeping cap ever!

'Hi Naruto! Get ready! Today we're gonna train!'

'Really?! You always say you train at night with your chatra.' He said with an adorable pout.

'Hurry! Hurry!' I coaxed. 'And it's chakra silly!'

…

I dragged Naruto round specific places in the town, to let certain people know that our plan was in action. When we reached the dango shop…

'Hinata! Now!' I yelled.

'Hinata?'

'Gentle fist!' the young heiress knocked Naruto out.

'I feel s-s-so b-bad for hitting n-n-Naruto-kun like th-that.' Hinata whimpered.

'Relax… its still mild cause we're kids, so you basically put him in a deep sleep peacefully.' I said a bit boldly. Being with Hinata made me feel bolder somehow…

'Did you get the decoration set?'

She nodded.

'Great! Operation Naruto birthday bash is a go!'

…

'H-he's waking up!'

's-ssh!'

'Assemble!'

We scurried off into the bushes of the training ground when Naruto grudgingly awoke. The genjutsu created by Iruka hid the birthday decoration.

'Nee-chan… Hinata-chan…'

The said Hyuuga blushed deeply.

'k-k-'

'-sshh!' I hushed.

'Noooooo! We've been kidnapped by aliens!' Naruto cried out pointing at heaven.

'Now!'

'HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!'

We ran out of the bushes and I gave him the biggest bear hug ever and released the genjutsu showing the cool designs Hinata made.

'Wow! This is awesome! Who did it!?' Naruto asked.

'Hinata!' I yelled and nudged Hinata. 'Right? Right? Right? Right? Right…?'

She blushed deeply.

'r-r-right k-Karin chan!' she stuttered. 'D-d-do you like it N-n-Naruto?'

'I love it! Believe it! Thank you!'

'Hey… I showed up thank me too…' I heard Suigetsu mutter.

'Hey kiddo!' Iruka pat his head to hard, sending my blonde cousin to the floor. 'Happy birthday brat!'

'Iruka sensei… Suigetsu…'

'Happy birthday Naruto! I'm Jugo!'

'Who are you?'

'I met him yesterday.' I said shyly. 'He heard about your party and decided to help and meet you.'

'Thanks Jugo! I love you! Believe it!'

'I'd rather not…' Suigetsu mumbled.

We shared the epic chocolate cake that was simply… EPIC.

While we were enjoying our godly snacks I sensed a very familiar chakra… and it made me smirk.

'So in the end… you did show up… Uchiha. Sasuke.' I made my voice super cool and dramatic with the pause for effect.

His reply was simple.

'Hn…'

Everyone turned.

'Sasuke?' Iruka said more of a question than statement.

's-s-Sasuke-kun…' I'll give you a clue. She stutters.

'The emo's here?' Suigetsu muttered, slightly annoyed.

'TEME!'

'That's it. This is lame. I'm leaving.' he turned to go.

'Stop!' I protested before slapping Naruto's head with much less timidity. 'A host is to be polite to his guest! Now get up and apologize to Sasuke!' I barked.

'What a big sister… girls are evil…' I heard Suigetsu mutter.

'nee-chan… you sound like his fangirl…' he muttered. Sasuke was smirking.

'HOW DARE YOU!?' I barked even louder making everyone cringe. 'Go now! Else I won't have you get the ramen treat I planned for you!'

'Man up…' I heard Naruto mutter. He stalked towards Sasuke. 'I… I'm… I'm… s-s-s…'

'Naruto…'

'I'm sorry!' as soon as he said that he wiped his tongue on his sleeve. 'Blasphemy! It's blasphemy!'

'Hn.'

'Sasuke you reply or I'll beat you up too!'

'It's okay dobe.'

I smiled.

'Cake anyone?' I asked sweetly.

No answer.

'I. Said: cake. Anyone?' my voice grew scarier each word.

'Sure.'

'Y-yes please…'

'Yeah. Believe it.'

'Hn.'

I smiled again.

This is going to be a birthday to remember.

…

'Thank you so much nee-chan! You awesome sis! Believe it!' Naruto declared.

'Thanks.' I giggled.

'No one's really celebrated my birthday… I remember one… but it's so far back… I think it's a dream…'

I smiled.

Naruto…

I wonder…

I really wonder…

I wonder Naruto… have you ever celebrated a birthday since you left us…?

Since you left mother and me…?

**A/N: clear! Touching' just touching'! I could cry brother! Not. Sorry. Crazy, random, fun but not emotional. It felt kinda forced. But hey if you loved it so did I! **

**yay! enter HINATA hyuuga! **

**she will be... nah. go find out!**

**who understands the rush of seeing your physics test to see the epic fail you got only to see an A!**

**I passed my physics test! I thought I'd fail epicly (intended). Wish me luck in academic guys! I need as many as I can get.**

**So I'll see you when I see you!**

**Review.**

**FSS over and out!**


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